There is currently a demand for improved penetration-resistant articles. Traditionally, some articles or armor systems designed for stab and/or spike-resistance have used composite systems that include metallic components in the form of rigid plates or platelets, such as chain mail.
More recently, penetration-resistant articles that use multiple layers of woven fabric have also been developed. For example, Foy and Miner (U.S. Pat. No. 5,578,358) describe an aramid article having improved resistance to penetration by sharp implements made of multiple layers of tightly woven fabric with a minimum fabric tightness factor wherein adjacent layers of the fabric are free to move relative to each other. Chiou (U.S. Pat. No. 6,475,936) describes matrix-resin free fabrics with a loose weave or low fabric tightness factor that also exhibit resistance to penetration by knife stabs. Granqvist et al. (US Publication No. 20040048538) describe a penetration resistant article consisting of one or more layers of a woven fabric having a friction raising means operating between the fabric layers.
There is a need for improved penetration-resistant articles and armor systems.